Corrupted Flames
by SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons
Summary: What if, instead of there being an Irregular and an Exception, there was also an Unusual? This is the story of a young man, who has such an "unusual" Blaze that even he doesn't know the origin of it. How his soul formed it, is the question that he asks himself. Koryo Academy, will help him find the answer to that. P.S. I don't really expect this to get many views, but surprise me.
1. Chapter 1: Enrollment

**Hello, my fellow writers and readers. Yes, I'm not dead! Surprised? I wonder if it has anything to do with my 9-month absence. Well, moving on.**

 **This is my second fanfiction (don't even try to look for my first; I've taken it down to revise it and make it the way I envisioned), and I intend to keep this one updated at least once a week. Of course, things can't always go as planned, so I don't intend to make any promises.**

 **As you can probably tell, this fanfiction is based on the anime "Absolute Duo", which I really enjoyed due to the idea of souls becoming weapons. Don't even begin saying, "But there is a ton of anime out there just like this one…" Well, here's some news for you guys:**

 **I usually watch dubbed anime, because it's so much easier to focus on the story and the animation instead of having to read the subtitles all the time. I understand the translation may be off quite a bit, but I really don't mind unless it's something crucial, like a very important piece of information that changes the entire plot.**

 **I don't expect this FF to get many views, due to the low amount of FF's for Absolute Duo. Of course, I will be bending some of the rules set by the anime, making a few changes here and there for the sake of progression. Well, enough of my ranting.**

 **On to the story!**

 **Oh, one more thing.**

 **I, SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons, do not and will never own the rights to Absolute Duo. This is a non-profit reproduction of the story with my own character added into the mix. Please do not attempt to sue me. You wouldn't get much out of me anyways. ._.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Enrollment

* * *

He couldn't believe his eyes. He actually made it here. After all this time, he finally made it. Koryo Academy, a school dedicated to Blazes and learning how to fight with them. He wanted to sit down and soak it all in. The sky. The trees. The blooming flowers. The sounds of bells ringing. The girl with platinum hair flowing in the wind.

Wait a minute. _The girl with platinum hair flowing in the wind?!_

Before he could make sure he wasn't seeing things, a masculine voice called from behind. "Excuse me, sir?"

He turned around, now looking at a male student, one who didn't look much older than 16. He had ocean-blue eyes, which only complimented his short, blonde hair. The young male wore the same uniform that he wore, meaning he attended the same school, or at least, intended to enroll there as well. Judging from the way he talked, he came from England, making it easier to understand him.

"What's up? How can I help you?" he asked, not sure what the he wanted. He quickly glanced back to where the girl was before, only to find that she was no longer there. He sighed. 'Must've been my imagination' he thought. 'Though, I didn't know hormones could be **that** strong…'

"Uh, I was wondering where I could find the opening ceremony. I'm new here and, well, I don't know my way around." He glanced at the floor, perhaps in shame.

"Oh, well, you're not alone," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm actually new here too, so I don't know where anything is either." He smiled, trying to cheer up the first-year.

"R-really?!" he shouted in surprise. "Well, looks like we're on the same boat." The first-year snickered, dismissing the dark mood that had been there only a while ago. "Well, while we're here, why don't I introduce myself? My name is Richard. Richard Draco III."

He smiled, now that he and Richard could call themselves friends. "You can call me Pro," he said, a small smile visible on his face.

"Pro? Is that supposed to be a nickname?" Richard asked. He was frowning, almost like he was displeased with Pro's introduction.

"No," Pro answered, shaking his head. "That's my name. I've had it for as long as I remember."

"Well, _Pro_ , I suggest we hurry. I noticed a pair of students walking by, and it seems they are also first-years. If what I'm thinking is correct-" Richard started, letting Pro finish the thought.

" _If_ what you're thinking is correct, then we should follow them" Pro continued. He looked towards the academy, and, just like Richard said, there was a pair of students who were talking to one another. One of them was a girl. She had long, light brown hair tied into a ponytail with a green ribbon. She was wearing the female school uniform, her sleeves being a dark shade of blue. She seemed to be talking with the other student, who was a boy no older than Pro. He had short, dark brown hair, and was also wearing the same uniform as Pro was. There was something odd about him though, but Pro pushed it aside. 'Now I'm just paranoid,' he thought.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Richard, with a smile on his face. He grabbed Pro's sleeve and began dragging him towards the school, like a child would drag his parents into a candy stand.

* * *

Soon, they reached a building with a small sign in front of it. "Koryo Academy Opening Ceremony," Pro said, reading off of it. "Looks like this is the place." The building itself was big, impressing Pro with its size. It was sort of old-fashioned, making it seem like it had stood there for many decades.

They entered the building, and found there were many students already seated, sitting next to their friends or acquaintances. Oddly enough, they found a couple of seats next to each other, and quickly sat down as the ceremony was about to start. Slowly, but with an aura of confidence surrounding her, a small girl walked up to the podium on the stage. She had long, black hair and wore a dress that seemed too gothic for someone her age. Most strangers would've thought she was just playing a prank, but Pro could sense that this little girl was anything but a prankster.

She began to speak, her voice full of the same confidence that radiated from her. "I want to personally welcome all you new students to Koryo Academy. I'm Sakuya Tsukumo, the headmistress of this institution. Congratulations on making it here. To start things off, we'll be performing our traditional Qualification Ceremony." Pro suddenly got chills down his spine. 'Something about the last thing she said, it feels odd…'

"First, please take note of the person beside you because he or she will be your partner." Pro quickly glanced to his side, smiling at Richard while he did the same. "When I give the signal, you're all to rise and begin battling your partner." Our smiles quickly faded, turning back to the headmistress in surprise. It seemed like they weren't the only ones shocked, as the whole room began to whisper and complain.

"Only the winners will be permitted entrance. The loser's Lukifer will be removed and they'll be asked to leave the premises." Now the whole crowd was shouting out complaints, saying things about acceptance letters and that they didn't want to fight. "Oh, I should add that if your battle isn't over in 10 minutes, both you and your partner will fail."

Suddenly, the girl Pro had seen before, the one with the green ribbon, stood up and shouted, "Headmistress!" The little girl answered her. "Yes, you there." The girl quickly spoke her thoughts to the young headmistress. "Isn't it a bit extreme to kick us out just because we lost a battle?"

"If you can't pass the special entrance exam, then you don't belong here," replied the girl, her words having no warmth. "This test's purpose, and that of Koryo Academy's, is to teach you how to survive based on one simple rule: you must defeat others to stay alive."

"Yeah, but this is only our first day!" quickly shouted the brunette.

"You'll all be plunging head-first into soon enough, so what better time to start than right now?" asked the headmistress, a smile visible on her face. "You must've known you'd be engaging in battles when you first expressed interest in attending the academy."

Suddenly, the boy Pro had seen earlier stood up as well, and who would've guessed it was next to the same girl he had been hanging out with before.

"Excuse me, but can we switch partners?" he asked, probably not wanting to fight the girl next to him. 'Damn, why didn't I think of asking that' Pro cursed at himself, not sure what was wrong with him.

"No, and understand this: the person beside you now is your first enemy," she replied, just as coldly as before. Even the boy flinched as he heard those words. She quickly rose her voice, and an even bigger smile took hold of her face. "Now do battle! You are heaven chosen children, the El Seed! You've already been given all of the power you require. Use this soul power, your blaze to prove that you're worthy to enter this institution's hallowed halls!"

Soon enough, the whole room erupted into chaos as students began to fight for the schools entry slots. "Well, it seems that all these people are acting like wild animals. I don't really want to fight you, Richard. So what do you say we call this a draw?" asked Pro, turning around to face Richard, only to find he had disappeared. "Huh? Richard?" Suddenly, he heard a battle cry coming from above, and quickly glanced up. His eyes widened as he saw Richard falling towards him, two black and yellow kunai drawn and pointed towards him. He did a side-roll, narrowly dodging the attack, and landed on his feet, facing Richard. "What are you doing?" he asked, disbelief apparent in his voice.

"You see," began Richard, his voice colder and darker than before. "There is a certain someone whom I must repay, as they humiliated me before. I've sworn to humiliate them, as they once did to me. I will allow no one to stand in my way, not even you Pro." He suddenly launched forward, throwing one kunai and using the other as a dagger.

Pro sidestepped, the kunai missing its target, but Richard went in for the kill. As soon as Richard was in range, he pushed his hand forward, the kunai aiming for Pro's chest. However, Pro grabbed his wrist and, with one swift movement, pushed him to the ground and moved away.

"Why aren't you pulling out your Blaze?" asked Richard, having expected him to use his weapon by now. "You do know what's at stake here, correct?" He got up, fire appearing in his hands, and reformed the kunai.

"Like I said before, I don't want to fight you. Besides, when she said we had to defeat our opponents, I'm pretty sure she meant to knock them unconscious, not to cause severe wounds." Pro simply stood there, almost like there wasn't any fights happening around him. "I won't fight you, simply because of one reason: I will not fight someone who is close to me."

"Do you really believe I'm close to you?" asked Richard, his words laced with mirth. Pro nodded, his face as serious as his words. Richard simply frowned, and replied, "Then you are a bigger fool than I thought you were…" With that said, Richard threw both kunai at Pro, one aiming for his chest, while the other missed by a huge gap, almost as if it had slipped from his hands. Richard then proceeded to run towards Pro, determined to win the fight.

Pro sidestepped the kunai again, ready to push Richard to the ground. This time though, he didn't have to worry about Richard's other kunai. He prepared himself, and as soon as Richard was in range, he reached for his hand. As soon as his motion started, however, there was a small fire forming in Richard's hand. 'He's recalling the kunai he threw' thought Pro. 'It was a trick, for me to go directly for his hand instead of his wrist. Cunning.' The Blaze fully reformed, the point aimed at the center of Pro's hand. "I've got you now," said Richard, his voice full of confidence.

CLANG!

The sound of metal being deflected echoed around the room, catching the attention of all the students. They all turned around to find the source of the sound, and the whole room went silent. Richard was paralyzed in shock, his kunai on the floor next to his feet. In front of him, Pro stood, his hand holding onto Richard's, and his right arm covered in a night-black gauntlet, encrusted with cracks with blood-red energy flowing through them. "Soul-Thief," whispered Pro, but was heard by everyone as the room had remained silent the entire time. The kunai began to glow, and reduced themselves to dust. The dust then began to flow towards Pro's arm, and he let go of Richard. Three kunai formed themselves in Pro's hand, except they were sharper and thinner than Richard's, and instead of yellow, these kunai glowed the same shade of red as the gauntlet.

"This is one of the reasons I didn't want to fight you," Pro stated. "I knew that this would have to happen if I did. I truly hate having to disarm others, but I guess it's the only way to stop you from fighting me." He tossed the kunai in the air, catching them all with the same armored hand. "Of course, I'll only hold on to these until the fight is over. Afterwards, I'll give them back. I guess I win by default, as you're no longer able to continue fighting." He walked towards the wall, and simply leaned against it, not even noticing everyone had been watching him this entire time.

CLANG!

Another sound echoed around the room, and the whole room turned towards the source once again. This time, a young man with a yellow shield had deflected blue axe, saving a girl at the same time. Pro instantly recognized them as the pair that had spoken to the headmistress. 'These two again?' he thought.

"A shield? Is that your Blaze, Tor?" she asked, her voice full of surprise. 'So his name is Tor huh?' thought Pro. Taking a closer look, it seemed that the shield was no bigger than a buckler, and it had a large whole in the center of it. The shield itself ended in the same way a natural flame would, with a few spikes twisting themselves to the side, giving it the appearance of an actual fire.

"That's right," Tor replied. Looking at them, it appeared that they hadn't noticed that Pro himself had a gauntlet for a Blaze. The rest of the students began to whisper to one another, possibly wondering what was going on.

"But, a Blaze, your soul power, it's always supposed to manifest itself in the form of a weapon, isn't it?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Tor looked down, and spoke. "I guess that makes me an Irregular…"

The girl smiled and said, "Alright." She moved back a few steps. "I do appreciate you protecting me just then. However, as I told you, I have my reasons for being here. I'm sure you have your own as well." She lifted her sword and aimed it at Tor. "If you don't, then fall!" She dashed towards Tor, who froze for what seemed like a split-second, but enough for Pro to see it happen.

Tor blocked the girl's strike, sparks flying as the sword pushed against the shield. "I'm real sorry Imari," he said. "But I've got to be admitted here." His voice was sounded like he was struggling to keep himself from being pushed back. 'So her name is Imari' thought Pro. 'I keep learning all these names, but sadly, I won't see two of the owners from now on.'

"Oh, yeah? Well so do I!" she shouted, showing the same amount of determination as Tor. She began to push even harder, only for Tor to do the same. Suddenly, Tor gained the upper hand, and gave one final push, effectively disarming Imari and putting some distance between her and the sword.

"Again, I'm sorry," said Tor in such a low voice, even Pro had a hard time hearing it in the silent room. Tor's arm began to glow, and he punched Imari. She attempted to block his attack with her arms, but instead, was sent as far as her sword had landed. 'Damn. What a punch' thought Pro. 'I'd hate to get hit by that.'

"Time's up people!" said the headmistress. Pro had nearly forgotten about her. "As I mentioned, only the victors will be permitted entry." The chaos that had been in the room not even a few minutes ago was now gone, and all the students helped each other get back on their feet. "I will now leave you with these parting words." Pro walked up to Richard, who was on his knees and staring at his hands. Pro grabbed the kunai, and placed them in Richard's hands, where they returned to their original yellow glow, and became duller and thicker.

"You victors, congratulations. May you all someday reach Absolute Duo." With that said, the headmistress walked off the podium, and disappeared behind the curtains, and the students began to walk outside.

* * *

When Pro regarded the students, about half of them had their heads down and their shoulders slumped. 'I hate to have to admit it, but some people aren't cut out for this kind of stuff' thought Pro.

He was Richard walking away from the school gate, and he ran towards him. "Hey, Richard!" he called, but Richard didn't even turn towards him. Instead, he continued walking away, as if he had heard nothing. "Damn. The first friend I get and I make him my enemy." Pro cursed at himself. Sure, maybe he had gotten a little cocky, but he did try to stop Richard from fighting him.

He turned to look at his side, and saw none other than Tor talking to Imari. He didn't want to eavesdrop, but what he heard caught his attention.

"Well, you know, since Blazes are weapons produced by your soul, I supposed souls are the only thing they can hurt, so that would leave the body untouched." Tor was talking as if it was the most common knowledge out there, which it wasn't since Blazes were still under research.

"So is that why you were holding back in there?" asked Imari, getting a little too close to Tor's face.

Tor blushed lightly and responded, "I didn't use the full power of my Blaze because I was afraid I might hurt you Imari."

'Sounds way too much like you like her, Tor' thought Pro. 'Be careful with saying words like that. Don't want people getting the wrong idea, do you Tor?'

"Well, that was very sweet of you," said Imari. 'That's exactly what I meant…' thought Pro, a small smile forming on his face. "However, you can't do that anymore." This caught Tor by surprise, judging from his face. "It doesn't matter what your power is or how strong or weak your opponent may be. If you lose once then that's it. That's the kind of world that's out there waiting for us. And once you lose, there are no do-overs." She quickly began skipping towards the gate. She stopped and winked at him. "Congrats at making it in, Tor." She then turned around, and walked away slowly.

"I'm so sorry, Richard," whispered Pro. "Maybe you had some vendetta to settle, or someone you wanted to help. Maybe what you could've used was some more training." Pro clenched his fists, and slowly reopened them. "But if one thing's for sure, it's that you let your emotions control you, and that would've gotten you killed." He looked up at the blue sky, clear of any clouds, unlike his mind. "You weren't ready for what's out there, and so, it was my fate to stop you from getting in over your head." He let a frown form on his face, and stared as a few birds flew past. "The world is a cruel place, and you weren't ready to face it. But even so, a fire is able to start in the coldest of winters. I hope you light your own fire, and I hope that instead of a cold path filled with resent and vengeance, you find a path that will lead you to the future." He let a smile take over his face. "Richard, I hope we can meet each other soon, and I wish you the best of luck." With that said, Pro began to walk towards the classrooms, only to hear the sound of a helicopter fly overhead. Pro was curious about it, but before he could think about it any longer, the 5 minute warning bell rang, bringing Pro back to reality. He began to run towards the classrooms at a regulated pace, not wanting to be late on the first day.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. My OC, Richard is gone. Done. The end.**

 **I'm just kidding. (Though, would he be considered an OC? Maybe, but not a major OC)**

 **Anyways, as I described above, Pro's Blaze is a gauntlet on his right arm. Yup. That's it.**

…

 **Or is it!?**

 **Anyways, as any other writer would say, please review and follow if you believe you'll enjoy the story. Please, no flames as I'm still new to this, writing-a-FanFiction kind of thing.**

 **Also, before I forget, there will be a pairing in the story. Actually two, but the other one is a secondary. It will be OCxJulie and TorxLilith. No hate for that, but, if you don't like the pairings,** _ **you**_ **could always write** _ **your**_ **own FF. Anyways, I'll see you guys in the future.**


	2. Chapter 2: Partners

**What's up? This is SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons and I'm back with the second chapter of "Corrupted Flames". Now, time to answer some reviews, since I like to respond to my viewers and their opinions.**

 **To RTNknight-**

 **Well, I look forward to you enjoying this update.**

 **To ScorpioVenom-**

 **Thank you for your kind words. I want to make this story worth the read, and you won't have to wait any longer for this chapter.**

 **And to the Guest, who was either too lazy to login, doesn't have an account, or just wants to remain anonymous-**

 **I read your review, and… well… I didn't 100% understand what it meant. Here's what I did understand: OC's should change the story from many angles, and should also influence the outcome of specific scenes, such as what happens where. However, the romance part, (which I may add is two pairings, one of which is** **not** **canon, and the other may be considered canon just a little), is correct canon-wise.**

 **If this is not what you meant, please elaborate your meaning, and please, for my sake, don't be a troll and write a review as guest to try to mess with me. Something along the lines of, "I'm the previous guest, and I wanted to say blah, blah, blah." In case something like this does happen, I would like all reviews to be made from personal accounts if possible. Just as a way for me to understand what you're trying to relay to me.**

 **Anyways, now with that said, I would like to thank all the people who have favorited or followed "Corrupted Flames". I appreciate you doing so, and I will try to meet your expectations.**

 **I understand it's been about a week since my last the first chapter, and so I am striving to follow my update schedule. Like I said before, at least once a week.**

 **Now, I just wanted to say one more thing. If there is anything I might have left out of any chapter, such as a sudden time skip that shouldn't be there, please let me know through PM, as it will attract my attention a lot quicker (and it won't be stuck in the review section).**

 **As always, I, SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons, do not and will never own the rights to Absolute Duo. This is a non-profit fan-written work, and as a wise man once said, "Mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery."**

 **Annnnnnnndddddd, I just figured out my "name" spells out S.O.S.A.D. in acronym form. Wow. Didn't see that one before. Oh well, time for the story.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Partners

* * *

"Shit…." Pro muttered to himself. He was running full speed towards the designated first-year classroom, and time was almost up. He had been counting in his head since the warning bell, and he was more or less about to run out of time. '271…272…273…'

He turned the corner, and in front of him were two students walking into a classroom. Pro instantly recognized the taller one as Tor. He was talking to another guy, a little shorter than him, and were they talking about lab rats?

"What the hell is wrong with them?" Pro asked himself, though it was more of a whisper. "Wait, shit! I lost count!" He face-palmed, making a loud _SLAP!_ "Ouch…" He simply muttered. Then a thought hit him, and it sort of hurt. 'The bell hasn't rung yet, which means, I only have a few seconds to get to _that_ classroom. Uh-oh.' His legs started to move on their own, and he pushed himself to his top speed. The door, it was right there.

5 feet… 4… 3... 2…

He made it in, launching himself into the room at full speed, causing him to stumble and fall. He managed to stand up just as the bell rang. Not his finest entry, but he made it in time.

"Phew, I'm here teach…" he muttered, his face low as he took deep breaths, as if he had been drowning.

"Uh, the teacher isn't here yet…" said one of the students. Pro looked up, and saw a classroom full of students, all looking at him, and _no teacher_. His eye twitched, though he couldn't tell if it was emotional or erratic.

He looked at the students, who looked at him like some exotic animal at a zoo. "Do any… of you… know where… the teach…er is?" he asked in-between pants. Everyone shook their head, making Pro a little angry, with a hint of regret somewhere in there. 'Damn it! It hasn't even been 2 hours and you already made yourself look like a fool' he scolded himself mentally.

He quickly scanned the room for seats, and found two of them empty in the back of the classroom, which just so happened to be the furthest from the windows as well. He could've sworn he saw a few cobwebs in that corner of the room. He sighed, and walked over to the seats, taking the one on the right. Another glance at the room revealed that Tor sitting next to a blond girl, and he had to make sure he wasn't hearing things when she started talking to him about "irregularities" and "exceptions", and he hoped it wasn't anything too embarrassing or personal.

The guy Tor had been talking to was sitting diagonally from him. Taking another look at him, it seemed that the guy had sandy-blonde bow-cut, and he was wearing glasses. His eyes were lime-green, and he seemed fixed at looking at the teacher's desk. Next to a _very_ muscular Japanese boy, who seemed way taller than either Tor or Pro. He had short spiky hair, he seemed pumped to be at the school. 'I feel sorry for whoever had to face _him_ at the ceremony' was the first thought that popped into Pro's head.

"Hello, hello!" shouted a childish, yet very feminine voice. Suddenly, a purple blur entered through the window, taking everyone by surprise, and landed on the desk at the very front. There, a woman began prancing around like a child. "Nice to meet you! I'm your homeroom teacher, Rito Tsukimi, but I insist you call me 'Professor Bun-Bun'."

She looked like she was in her early 20's or so, and she had violet eyes, which went well with her long, dark-violet hair. What didn't go well with her though, was the fact that she was wearing bunny ears and a maid outfit, which would've turned on most guys anywhere. However, knowing that this lady was his homeroom teacher, and acting this way, was more awkward than stimulating.

Fortunately, Pro wasn't the only one who felt like that. It seemed that the whole classroom felt the same, as everyone was simply staring at the teacher, all of them with their mouths hanging open.

"What's with all the strange looks class? Oh, I get it! You're all dazzled by how gosh-darn cute I am! Hahaha" she said, either too innocent or to egoistic to truly understand why they were all staring at her.

Almost as if they'd been practicing, the whole class responded at once, "No. We just didn't expect our homeroom teacher to be earing bunny ears.

"Well, since I've introduced myself to you, now it's your turn class!" she said, her voice full of the enthusiasm the class lacked.

One by one, the class got up to introduce themselves. Eventually, the guy that Tor had been talking to got up and walked to the front of the class. "Aoi Torasaki," he stated, then he fixed his glasses. 'Wow. I bet he's the party animal of the class' Pro thought, rolling his eyes at how bored Aoi sounded. Next was the guy sitting next to Aoi, who was bigger than Pro had anticipated. He walked to the front of the classroom, flexed his muscles and grunted, and sat back down. 'What just happened?' Pro asked himself.

"'Kay. And next is you there in the back!" Prof. Bun-Bun shouted, pointing at Tor. He got up from his seat, but unlike the other classmates, he stayed at his seat. "I'm Tor Kokonoe-" he began, but was cut off by the loud, and slightly annoying, voice of Prof. Bun-Bun.

"Kokonoe… Oh right! So you're that Irregular, huh?" she pointed at him like he was about to disappear or something. 'Irregular?' Pro mentally questioned what he just heard. "You were the talk at the teacher's lounge," continued Prof. Bun-Bun.

If someone had walked into the classroom at that exact moment, they would've immediately noticed all the whispering going around, especially about Tor. "Okay class, settle down. You! With the dark atmosphere! You're next!" she shouted, pointing at Pro. The whole class turned the other direction, looking directly at him. 'That dark atmosphere she talked about is just the poor lighting back here' he said mentally. He sighed, letting a large portion of his frustration go, and stood up. He didn't walk to the front either, since everyone had their eyes on him anyways.

"My name is Pro. That's all you need to know," he said. He was about to sit back down when he heard someone whisper, "Nice poetry, Shakespeare," and snicker. "You got a problem with my introduction?" Pro burst out, though he quickly regained his posture.

"Yes, we do," said the blonde girl next to Tor. "What is your surname? It's not a proper introduction until you tell us what it is." Almost immediately, Pro felt that all eyes were on him once again. A few seconds passed, but they felt almost like an eternity to Pro. "I won't say it again," she stated, looking at Pro in the eyes, almost as if she were staring right into his soul.

"I- I don't have one," he finally admitted, shifting his gaze from the girl to the ground. He heard a few gasps coming from different angles of the classroom.

"Well, I think that's enough introductions for today, don't you agree class?" asked Prof. Bun-Bun, trying to change the subject and, possibly, the mood.

Pro quickly took his seat, and the class finally started. Prof. Bun-Bun began going over the basics of the academy, such as how the student ID could also be used as a credit card. Everyone started to cheer when she said something about 100,000 yen each month, though Pro wasn't paying much attention. Something she said, however, made him want to walk out the window she jumped through.

"Boys, if you don't know what to spend all that dough on, I accept tips. Teehee." A quick glance around, and it seemed that even Aoi and Tor were thinking the same thing.

"Now, let's talk about the special Duo system we have here. You'll be paired up with a partner, and you guys will do everything together, from training to eating to sharing a room!" The way she said it made it seem like Duos were supposed to be the best of friends, even if they were complete strangers.

"Professor?" asked a girl, raising her hand simultaneously.

"Yes, dear?" she answered almost immediately, as if she had been anticipating the question.

"Can you tell us why the academy has such a system?" she asked. Pro had been wondering the same thing, but had decided to leave it be.

"Well, the answer to that is once you graduate, all of you will be placed in the Dawn Agency's peace-keeping core, and when your there, you'll be working in teams. Primarily in teams of two," the professor stated, as if it were the most-asked question at the academy.

"So, then I guess we're getting used to what life in the core will be like. Is that correct?" the girl asked, thought it seemed like she was more stating the obvious than asking a question.

"Bingo! You it the nail right on the head!" shouted Prof. Bun-Bun. Even the board had a giant "o" on it, which was downright weird.

The girl sat down, and Prof. Bun-Bun put on her serious face, which, looked more like a normal face than anything. "Two Duo partners work as one everywhere they go. Whether it's in the classroom or in the dorms, and speaking of which, all partners will be doubling up as roommates." She quickly slammed her hand down on the desk, gathering everyone's unseparated attention. "Alright, listen up! Permanent Duos will be discussed and decided officially by this weekend, okay? So until then, all of you will be placed in temporary Duos."

'Temporary, huh?' Pro asked himself mentally. He quickly glanced around the room, wondering who he would like as a temporary duo. His search, however was cut short by the words coming out of Prof. Bun-Bun's mouth.

"While these Duos are temporary, they are preassigned. And by preassigned, I mean that the person next to you will be your partner like in the Qualification Ceremony," she said, a full smile on her face the entire time.

Suddenly, Tor shot up, asking, "We can change that right?" He sounded a little desperate especially considering that his 'partner' looked more than enthusiastic.

"Sorry, already been decided," replied Prof. Bun-Bun, her unwavering smile still present.

"No! Please! You've got to be kidding me!" Tor shouted. 'Yeah, shout a little louder. I don't think they heard you correctly in South America' thought Pro, covering his ears.

"Consider yourself lucky. You get an exotic and beautiful girl as your partner and roommate. That reminds me, Koryo Academy is no place for infants. So no funny business…" suddenly, the smile on the professor's face changed from sincere happiness to a _very, very_ perverted one.

The classroom erupted into chaos, everyone talking about how Tor and his partner would be lovi—ahem, living under the same roof.

"He doesn't have a partner yet…"

Pro felt the attention of the whole classroom switch over to him. He slowly turned to Prof. Bun-Bun, who simply said, "Oh, I guess you're right! Well in that case, I can be his partner!" She winked at him, and all Pro felt was a cold shiver roll down his spine. 'As much as I would like to, I'm afraid that window over there looks lonely' Pro thought.

The door suddenly opened slowly, and the sound of bells rang throughout the classroom. A young girl walked through it, looking around the classroom. She noticed that Prof. Bun-Bun was watching her, and she quickly bowed. "Please excuse my tardiness. I lost my way in the school halls and just now found this room." Her words sounded sincere, and if Pro had been the teacher, he would've instantly forgiven her. Prof. Bun-Bun, had other plans.

"Oh my goodness, you're so cute!" she shouted. However, she quickly coughed, but she continued smiling. The smile, though, looked a little forced, and it made Pro's hair stand at the back of his neck. "However, not even your cuteness can save you from a proper punishment. Because you were late on your first day of class, you'll be given a warning. That warning is…" Suddenly, the board began ringing, as if the girl had just won a prize. "20 laps around the track, non-stop."

Pro's, and many others', jaw dropped when they heard the punishment. If this was a warning, they didn't want to see what the real-deal was.

"Yes, Professor," responded the girl, her head still low.

"Please, call me Professor Bun-Bun," pleaded the woman. "Now, with that settled, where were we?"

Pro raised his hand, his lowered, how eyes covered by his hair.

"Yes, Unusual?" she asked. 'Unusual?' Pro asked himself. 'Why would she- No. Not now. Later.'

"You were discussing my Duo partner. You said that the next student to walk through that door would be my temporary partner, no matter who it was, right guys?" Pro asked, winking towards the rest of the classroom. They all started nodding and agreeing with him, knowing full well that they wouldn't want Prof. Bun-Bun to be their partner either.

"Hmmm. I guess I did say that…" reluctantly agreed the cosplayer. She turned towards the young girl, and said, "While you're up here, why don't you introduce yourself?"

The young girl nodded, and walked to the front desk. She had everyone's attention, and she quickly bowed to everyone. "My name is Julie Sigtuna, and I'm pleased to meet each and every one of you."

'Julie, that's a nice name' thought Pro. Something then rang in Pro's head, giving him an idea on how to _bend_ the punishment given to Julie.

"Professor Bun-Bun," called Pro. She quickly returned her attention to him, looking at him expectedly. "Um, you said that Duo partners will do everything together, correct?" She nodded. "Well, considering that Julie will be my partner, and she's being punished, I'd like to make an offer. Since I haven't done anything wrong, and since she will be my Duo partner, I'd like to take 10 of those laps for Julie." Pro had hoped for a more… surprised response from the professor, but all he got was a huge grin on her face. However, the rest of the class seemed to have met his expectations, many of them either looking at him in respect or shock.

"Offer accepted. Now that's what I like to see: Duo partners doing everything together. Nice job, Unusual!" she said, giving Pro a thumbs-up. He motioned for Julie to sit next to him, and she walked from the front of the classroom, sitting down. As soon as she sat down, however, many whispers and rumors began all around them. They all sounded like the ones that were aimed at Tor and the blonde girl, but now they were all directed at Pro and Julie. Pro felt his face heat up just a little from hearing a few.

"Settle down class. Kokonoe, it seems like you're not the only one that I'll have to keep my eye one, am I right?" Prof. Bun-Bun asked, a sly grin on her face.

Pro glanced at Tor from across the room, and he could tell exactly what he was saying. 'This lady is going to be the death of us…' Pro more than agreed to that message.

He suddenly felt someone staring at him, and he moved his eyes toward the source of the feeling: Julie. As soon as he made eye contact though, she would turn the other direction, looking everywhere except at him. As soon as he looked away, he would feel her staring at him again.

He decided to introduce himself to her, even if she wouldn't look at him directly. "Hey, my name is Pro. I'm pleased to be your Duo partner, even if it is temporary." He smiled, trying to get her to look at him. However, she kept looking away from him, as if he was Medusa and the slightest eye contact would turn her into stone.

He sighed. 'Today's going to be a long day.'

* * *

The sun was setting, and the evening air felt cold against Pro's skin. He had just finished the 10 laps he had promised to run, but he was breathing normally, panting a bit here and there. Julie had finished her set around five minutes ago, and she had headed towards the dorms.

"She probably went to take a shower," muttered Pro. He grabbed his towel, though he hardly needed it in the first place, and started jogging towards the rooms. The wind was picking up, and he didn't want to get sick anytime soon.

He stopped as soon as he saw the door, and took a few breaths. After slowing down his heart-rate, he walked through the door. 'My room should be on the third floor' he thought. He climbed two flights of stairs, and was surprised to see Tor thrown out of a room.

"Just be a man and suck it up!" shouted a voice. Pro recognized the voice as Aoi, and he seemed very angry.

"That's the problem: I am a man!" shouted back Tor. He seemed way too embarrassed about the situation. It's not like he's the only one with a female roommate.

"Boohoo! It's time for lights-out!" Aoi shouted as he slammed the door shut. Tor started to plead at Aoi through the door, which seemed way to pathetic for someone like him.

Pro walked up to Tor and set a hand on his shoulder. "You know, you should probably get off the floor. Don't want you catching a cold or something, do we?" suggested Pro.

Tor looked up at him, nodded, and got to his feet. "How come you're not flustered or embarrassed or anything?" he asked.

"Me? Well to tell you the truth, I kind of am? I'm just better at hiding it than you are," Pro replied, smiling as he teased Tor about his actions. Tor pushed him gently on the shoulder, almost as if they were old friends.

"Anyways, where's your room?" asked Tor. Pro stopped laughing, and pointed at the door at the end of the hall.

"You see that door. That's my room," he said.

"No way! My room is the one next to it," Tor stated, relief relevant in his voice.

"What's got you worked up this time?" asked Pro, not sure of why Tor sounded relieved.

"Well, it's just that, if I ever get into trouble with you-know-who, you'll be able to hear my screams of anguish," said Tor, a smile on his face.

"Yeah? Well same goes for you," Pro said, this time pushing Tor on the shoulder. "We should get going. Aoi was right: it's time for lights-out."

They both started walking towards the end of the hall. Both of them moved their hands to their doors, and they stopped there. Both of them reluctantly put their hands on the doorknobs, opened the rooms, and stepped in.

"Hello?" called Pro, the room dark, and with no source of light except for the window. The moon was completely white, shining through the window. 'Maybe she's not here. Maybe she wasn't happy with how I tried to help her,' Pro told himself, too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the footsteps behind him. He felt something tug his shirt, and he turned around, only to quickly avert his eyes towards the ceiling.

"I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind that I showered first," said a very innocent voice.

He had not expected this. He had not expected to see a young girl with silver hair wearing only a plain white shirt. He couldn't even tell if she was wearing panties! If anyone saw the scene, it would've been the talk of the school for the rest of the century.

"W-What the hell are you wearing?" he asked, his face flushed red.

"My pajamas," she stated, tilting her head in confusion at Pro's reaction.

'Okay. Okay. She's not embarrassed, so that means she does this all the time, right? If that's so, then she's probably confused at the question. Maybe I should straighten things out,' thought Pro, many thoughts going through his mind, some of which were unclean, but he pushed those deep down.

"Those… are not pajamas," Pro said, his eyes looking at the ceiling.

"If I sleep in it, that makes it pajamas," Julie stated back, rubbing her eye at the same time. "What else would it be?" Suddenly, her shirt pulled itself to the side, and Pro turned around, his face even redder than before.

Pro was looking at the ground, wondering what he had gotten himself into. 'This girl is either air-headed, or too innocent to know how stimulation that was to a healthy young man such as myself.'

He looked up, and coughed into his hand, trying to gain her attention. It worked. "Ahem, why don't I reintroduce myself, okay? I'm-" he began, but was cut off by Julie.

"You're Pro, aren't you?" she asked.

"Oh, so you remembered?" he asked her, genuinely surprised she listened to him.

"Yes. Your name is not hard to forget, especially since it is a very simple name." She looked at him with her ruby-red eyes, and Pro could barely see his reflection in them.

"Well, thanks for remembering, So, Julie, where do you come from?" he questioned, wanting to know a little about his partner.

"I come from my homeland, Gimlé." She closed her eyes, as if she were remembering her home.

"Gimlé, huh? I'm not very familiar with the world map, so where exactly is that?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Scandinavia," she stated, looking directly at his eyes.

'Scandinavia? That explains why she has a small accent' thought Pro.

"Pro? Hey, Pro?" she called, even closer than before. Pro snapped out of his thoughts, and found his that she was holding his hand in hers, her face a few inches from his. "Is something wrong Pro?"

"No, no. Nothing's wrong. It's just," Pro started, trying to stop her from worrying. "It's just that you were staring at me during class today. I was wondering why you were doing that." He let out a dry laugh, though it sounded more like a breath he had been holding.

"It's because I'm interested in you, Pro," she said, crawling a little closer to him. His face instantly went red, and he started to crawl backwards, not really sure how to react to that.

"W-what do y-y-you mean by that?" he asked, his heart pounding in his chest. Why was it pounding? Maybe because of all the possible meanings of the words she had just said.

Suddenly she grabbed his right arm, and stared at it. She looked back at Pro, and said, "Your arm. I saw you use a move to take someone else's Blaze back at the Qualification Ceremony."

"Oh. So that's what you meant. The move, huh?" he asked, a small amount of disappointment in his voice.

"Ja. Pro, do you think you could teach it to me?" she asked, sincere curiosity in her voice.

"Well, um, you see…" Pro started, trying to find a way to turn her down slowly. "I'm... really sorry, but as far as I know, the only reason why I can even take someone's Blaze, is because of my own." He raised his right hand, and looked at it. "Everyone's Blaze forms in the form of a weapon, that's common knowledge. However, my gauntlet can't be considered a weapon, and because of that, it came with an ability to borrow someone else's weapon. At least, that's what I believe to be the reason."

Julie sat up, and said, "That's too bad." Unexpectedly, she started to swing from side to side, almost like she was in a trance.

"Are you okay?" asked Pro, concern evident in those words.

"My apologies. It must be the time difference. I'm so tired I could fall asleep," she said, her eyelids getting heavy.

"No need to apologize. I'm sorry that I acted all weird today. Why don't you go get some sleep?" suggested Pro, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, Pro. I think I will go do that. Goodnight, and sweet dreams," she said. Almost instantaneously, she passed out, landing on Pro's lap.

"No wait, I didn't mean on the floor. Let's get you to your bed." Pro gently picked Julie up, holding onto her shirt so that it wouldn't slip by accident. He placed her in the bottom bunk, and covered her with the sheets. She was lightly snoring, and Pro couldn't help but smile just a little. "The way she speaks, it's almost like she's a princess or something." He reached up to wipe his head, which had become sweaty for some reason. Then he remembered he hadn't taken a shower yet. "Damn it. Might as well. Don't want to wake up smelling like a caveman," he whispered to himself. He grabbed the clothes he had brought with him, and walked into the bathroom.

* * *

The water was pretty hot, considering that the shower had been used not too long ago. Steam filled the air, making the small room look like a private sauna. Pro couldn't help but admire himself in the mirror, which was as tall as he was. He looked at his head first, taking in how much he had changed over the years. He had short, black hair, which was usually going in any direction it could. No matter what he tried, it would always return to its natural state, so he gave up trying to fix it. He moved down a little lower, and looked directly into his own eyes. He had black pupils, which were surrounded by a dark shade of red, making it look like he had the "red-eye effect." Going even lower, he observed how his skin had changed as well, having become a light tan from his time in the sun.

Then he moved on to his body, which was impressive, if he did say so himself. He was about as muscular as the average male after puberty, mostly because he wasn't a body-builder like Aoi's Duo partner. His main focus had been simply toning his body to be balanced, not too muscular, but not too lean either. Over the years, he had obtained a six-pack, a symbol of how often he worked out. He didn't know why, but ever since he was young, he had been very picky about what exercises he did and when. However, he didn't like to show his muscles often, almost never flexing unless he his muscles felt awkward for some strange reason. He also like to surprise opponents, hiding his true strength so that he wouldn't scare them off.

On his right bicep, however, was a tattoo. It was composed of a circle by itself at the very top. Underneath it, a semicircle surrounded the bottom of the aforementioned circle, and a cross was attached to the semicircle, also headed downwards. Every time he looked at it, he always felt a painful sensation at the back of his head, like someone was using pulling a hot pin or needle out of it.

He turned around, snapping out of his thoughts. He didn't know how long he had been staring at himself. The mirror was foggy now, meaning he had been in there for quite a while. "Crap. I better hurry up if I want to wake up tomorrow morning."

* * *

He walked out of the shower, using a towel to dry his hair. He glanced at the clock, which said it was around ten o'clock at night. "It's earlier than I thought," he muttered. He turned towards the beds, and noticed that Julie was still asleep. He smiled, listening to her snore. He couldn't help but smile. It was too cute.

Finally, he felt his eyelids start to droop, and he yawned. "I guess I better get to sleep," he muttered. He looked at the top bunk, and started to climb the miniature ladder set aside, careful not to wake Julie from her slumber.

He laid his head on the pillow, and recalled all the things that happened that day. He had defeated his friend, now most likely his enemy. He had made other friends though, and that made him feel better. He also became partners with a young and beautiful girl, even if it was temporary, and yet, he couldn't complain about that. He was now friends with said girl, and he decided one thing right then and there. "Life is good."

* * *

 **Whoops, almost forgot to do my outro. Anyways, tell me what you guys think.**

 **In case any of you are wondering, yes, there is a reason as to why Pro doesn't have a last name. It's not that I'm too lazy to write one, but just know that there is a reason behind it, which I intend to reveal to you guys later in the story.**

 **Also, if any of you think that my 'gauntlet' seems a little familiar, please, please, PLEASE, do not think for a second that I took it from 'Absolute Carnage' by LZW. We have already discussed this, and, without me spoiling anything I have planned, we have come to a compromise. LZW doesn't mind me using the gauntlet. I vow not to take my gauntlet anywhere near theirs, making sure mine doesn't look like I just stole the idea from them.**

 **I don't know if any of you really care about a shoutout, but if any of you can identify the symbol I described on Pro's right bicep, I'll be giving one out for every person who gets it correct.**

 **Now, with that said, I hope you all have a wonderful day or night, depending on where you are and when you are reading this.**

 **What do you know? I actually kept my promise this time.**


	3. Chapter 3: Spar Match

**Hey guys and gals. SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons here once again.**

 **Now then, you're probably wondering why it took so long for this chapter come out… and the only thing I can tell you is this. I had finished chapter three not to long after chapter two, and I decided that, well, to work on the rest. You know, get ahead.**

 **Well, guess what?**

 **I went on vacation after finishing about five or six chapters. While I was away, someone messed with my laptop, and managed to accidentally delete a lot of my stuff through defragmentation and the like. Apparently, it included my chapters.**

 **This really discouraged me from writing them again, and every time I tried, I felt sick to the stomach.**

 **But, I got over it, and here I am, writing this.**

 **Now, for the reviews.**

 **The reviews that I responded in the original chapter three were from RTNknight and the Guest who wasn't a jerk. (Thank God)**

 **RTNknight: I took your advice and made it into a T rating. Like I've said, I'm new at this sort of thing, and I was kind of worried about the rating as well. I decided to go with your suggestion, but there will be a few references here and there, if you know what I mean.**

 **To the Guest:**

 **Thank you, and I had a lot planned too. Unfortunately, you can tell that all went into the recycling bin. Forever.**

 **Now, since I became inactive, I've had a few more followers and comments. I want to respond to those comments first, and later I'll talk about all the followers.**

 **To Guest from July 2:**

 **Thanks. I hope to continue it.**

 **To Dex:**

 **Yes, as you can see.**

 **To Guest from Juy 20:**

 **NO I DID NOT. DO YOU SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE WHERE YOU DO NOT SHOUT?**

 **To Yai:**

 **I will, I will. Sheesh.**

 **Disclaimer: I, SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons, do not, and will never own the rights to Absolute Duo.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Spar Match

* * *

Talking.

That's all Pro could hear around him

He yawned as he stood in line to grab his breakfast. He hadn't even had class yet, and he was already falling asleep again.

Today was the second day of the Duo training program. He was in the cafeteria, along with a large crowd of students, and it was around 9 o'clock. Class didn't start for another 30 min, so he had plenty of time to eat.

The problem was, the line was taking way too long.

Miraculously, he had gotten his breakfast with enough time to spare, and he was currently looking around for Julie. She had gone ahead of him, and he wanted to sit next to someone he knew. He heard the sound of someone scolding someone else, and turned to see that Tomoe was doing the scolding. Unfortunately, Tor was the victim of said scolding, and Pro felt a little bad for him. Overhearing them, it had something to do with his diet or something.

That's when he noticed that sitting next to Tor was Julie and Lilith. He walked over, and sat next to Julie, placing his plate on the table. He was about to start eating when Tomoe appeared in front of him.

"See this Tor?" she asked, pointing at Pro's plate. "This is a healthy breakfast. It has not only a nice balance of protein and veggies, but it also has a side of fruit!"

Pro looked at his plate again, a little weirded out by suddenly being called out like that. All it had was a few sausages and a small salad, with an apple to the side. 'Yum…' he thought, emphasizing a lot of exaggeration.

Tomoe sat back into her seat, and her posture changed. She was finally serious.

"Okay, let's get down to brass tacks," she said, staring at Tor and Pro. "The reason why we came here was to talk to you, Tor." She nodded towards him, then looked at Pro. "We were going to talk to you two as well, but since you're here, it makes this easier."

Pro raised his eyebrows, curious on what she wanted. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked. "And what do you mean, 'we'?"

Tomoe cleared her throat, and that's when Pro noticed the girl sitting next to her. She had been quiet the entire time, and because of that, Pro had practically missed her. If he remembered correctly, her name was Miyabi.

"We wanted to talk about your Duo partners," Tomoe stated, pointing at Lilith first, then at Julie. "Don't you feel a little awkward? I mean, you're a boy and a girl living in the same room. Need I say more?" Out of the corner of his eye, Pro saw a light blush appear on Miyabi's face. It seemed like it was a sensitive topic for her.

Before Pro had a chance to answer, Julie spoke out. "Nej. Pro is a wonderful roommate." Hearing that , Pro smiled, feeling a little warmth in his cheeks. He started to drink his water.

"Oh, how so?" asked Tomoe, a smile on her face as well.

"Not only did he carry me to bed last night, but he also slept with me," she said nonchalantly. Pro spit out his water in surprise, getting the floor wet. That's when he noticed the room was quiet. Too quiet.

"WHAAAAATTT?!" shouted out the entire cafeteria. Unfortunately, they all heard what Julie had said, and Pro felt his eardrums explode. Looking around, all the girls, with the exception of Julie, who had gone back to eating a piece of bread, and Lilith, who was simply smiling. All the boys, on the other hand, were shaking their heads, or smiling and giving Pro a thumbs up.

"W-w-wait! I can explain! I swear, this is all a big misunderstanding!" shouted Pro, but to no avail.

"I thought you were a nice guy," Tomoe shouted. "But it seems you're nothing but a pervert and a dog!"

* * *

Back in class, Prof. Bun-Bun was giving a lesson on Lukifers. "It's said that one person in a thousand is suited for a Likufer. Now those people who've been give n Lukifers not only get physically stronger, but also mentally as the spirit-like entity inside them gains power!" she said, somehow making sparkles appear from behind her.

"There's a name for that soul power once it takes shape so what is it? You, with the glasses!" she shouted, pointing at, if Pro remembered correctly, Aoi.

He sat up, and said, "Torasaki. And the name of the soul power is a Blaze."

"Bingo!" she shouted, making a circle with her arms. She continued her lesson, not that Pro was paying any attention, until a few words brought him back to reality.

"As for Blazes, they're usually weapons of traditional construction that can be swords or spears, or in some irregular or unusual cases, even stranger things, right cohabitators?" she asked pointing at Tor and Pro.

Both simultaneously stood up and protested, "We are not cohabitators! We're roommates!" The whole class burst into giggles and snickers, and they both noticed what they had done. Pro suddenly felt a cold stare directed at him, and a quick scan of the room let him confirm it was coming from Tomoe.

He sighed, sitting back down into his seat, and Julie spoke. "I don't understand why she's so upset."

"It's because of what you said this morning," he whispered. "You know, about us sleeping together." She simply tilted her head in confusion, and he sighed again. "In this country… that can also mean something else." He leaned over, and whispered into her ear. A small blush appeared on both of their faces.

"I'll clarify what I meant to her," she said, clearing her throat.

'Please do,' he thought. "You know, even though you're not from here, you really do speak the language very well." It was true. Just by looking at her, anyone could tell she was from outside the country.

"Thank you. My momma is an interpreter. She taught me."

"Really? That's pretty cool, although I would recommend practicing your writing," he pointed out as he took a peak at her notes. She leaned forward in an attempt to try to cover her notes.

"I'm still trying to get the hang of it," she said, a small blush on her face.

That's when the most bizarre thing Pro could ever think of happened.

"And since the Lukifer's physical enhancement serves as a multiplier, who can tell me what that means? You, muscles!" Ryu, short for Ryuutaruo, stood up, and flexed his bicep once. "Right! The more you train your body, the stronger you get! Exactly as he just said!" announced Prof. Bun-Bun, clapping her hands and smiling.

The whole class, including Pro, sat there dumbfounded, wondering 'What? How'd she understand that?'

"So therefore, our curriculum includes lots and lots of battle training you'll need to get stronger! By the time you're finished, all of you will be 'Muy Macho'!" she exclaimed, making fist-pump.

A lot of students looked even more dumbfounded, probably because they didn't want to be 'Macho'.

Next, Prof. Bun-Bun spoke about the Rite of Sublimation, and how they needed a well-trained body and mind to even be transferred to a student. She also said that unless they get raised by a single level, they would be expelled.

Looking at the faces of nearly every student in the class, Pro could tell that the last part made their jaws hit the floor, if they hadn't already. Not only that, but everyone seemed to have a dark cloud over their heads.

"In order to stop any of you from being expelled, the next thing we're heading to is battle training!" she declared, smiling and flashing a peace sign.

* * *

At the gym, on one side, all the girls were lined up against the wall, and on the other side, all the boys were doing the same. Pro had decided to stand next to Tor, in an attempt to try to stay away from any awkward situations. Prof. Bun-Bun walked into the gym, and all eyes were on her.

"Okay everyone! In an attempt to improve everyone's overall potential, I've decided to pair everyone up on how they did in the Opening Ceremony!" she shouted, appearing a little more joyful than before. "This way, none of you will be wiped on the floor like a mop, and you'll be able to test your own limits. Now then these are the pairs you'll be put into!"

She started to name people, often pointing at them or winking in their direction. Only a two entries caught Pro's attention. The first, Julie and Lilith. Now that he thought about it, he had never seen Lilith's Blaze before, so that was going to be a surprise for him. The other, was him and Tor. When he had asked about why they had been paired, Prof. Bun-Bun said, "It's because both of you use a Blaze that has no offensive capabilities, so I am doing you guys a favor!"

Not only that, but they were also the first ones to fight.

All of the other students went to their respective walls, wondering how it was going to turn out.

Pro was in a familiar fighting stance, his left foot in front, with his right foot behind him. He was leaning mostly on his right leg, so that he could dodge in any direction he needed to. After all, it was going to be a fist-fight, or at least, he thought it was.

"For this specific fight, I want both of you to use your Blazes!" ordered Prof. Bun-Bun. From the look on her face, it was hard to tell if she was joking or not.

"You're kidding, right?" asked Tor, not even wasting a second to interpret was she had said.

"Nope! Since neither of you have a sword or a spear, or any form of offensive Blazes, this will be a test to see who's better at turning their defense into their offense!" she announced, a few more sparkles appearing behind her. Seriously, how did she do that?!

Pro sighed, knowing that there was no way they were going to change her mind. "Forget about it," he said, looking at Tor. "We might as well do what she says." Tor looked at him, smiled and nodded.

"Ooh, you're an obedient one," she cooed. 'I'm going to pretend I never heard that' thought Pro as he closed his eyes.

Pro began focusing his gauntlet to appear on his right arm, willing the sensation of fire to surround it. Unlike the others, he didn't like to shout 'Blaze on'. To him, it was a waste of breath. He felt familiar amount of warmth shimmering from his fingertips to his elbow. He willed it into a solid state, and his arm suddenly felt heavier.

"Blaze on!"

He heard Tor shout that. But he refused to do the same. He opened his eyes, and saw Tor standing in front of him, a black shield with golden spikes at the end of it, making it seem like one of those cartoon fires. He looked down at his own arm, with the blood-red veins that appeared all over it, mainly in the fingertips. He had never paid too much attention, but it seemed that his fingertips were actually a little sharp, and the tips were completely red.

"Begin!" shouted Prof. Bun-Bun, moving her arm like a flag to start a race.

Pro made the first move, using as much force as possible to propel himself forward. Just like she had said earlier that day, he felt that his speed and power were higher than that of a regular human, thanks to his Blaze.

He used his momentum to close the distance between him and Tor, getting closer and closer. 'If you want me to turn my Blaze into an offensive weapon, I'll show you what I can do' he thought. Pulling his arm back, he prepared to put as much force as possible into his punch. He launched it, and was met with a wall.

At least, it felt like a wall.

His attack connected, but with a shield. Of course, he had anticipated this, and used his left fist to hit Tor's head. That connected with the back of Tor's arm.

'It seems that he's good at blocking my attacks,' thought Pro. He jumped back a little, giving them some space. He noticed that Tor hadn't even moved an inch from where he had stood. 'That's a solid defense' he thought.

'I guess I've got no choice, but to take it away'

He ran forward, faking an attack. This made Tor bring up his shield, and Pro took the chance to grab it. "Well, looks like I win," he said, looking directly at Tor. "Soul Thief." Pro's gauntlet began to glow red, and then…

Nothing.

Pro, confused at what just happened, didn't notice the fist that was directed at his face, and he felt a stinging sensation on his left cheek as he was pushed back by the force.

'Why? Why didn't it work?' he asked himself. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. He felt stupid for even trying, and he felt shame for attempting such a cheap. He let those feelings rise to the surface, and the next thing he knew, he was launching attack after attack. He didn't notice when his left hand started to bleed, nor when cracks started to appear on his gauntlet. The only thing he was focused on was beating his opponent, and none of his attacks were getting through.

"Get ahold of yourself!" shouted Tor, finally taking on the offensive. He used his shield to deflect Pro's punch to the side, then smacked him in the face with it, causing him to stop and hold his nose.

Pro had been forced to hold his nose, which felt as if it had broken. It wasn't, but it sure felt like it. That's when he noticed that Tor hadn't tried to attack him at all while he was stunned. He took one look, and saw that Tor's arm was glowing, a yellow aura surrounding it.

"You're not the only one with a strong strike," he said, running forward. Pro was too dazed to move, and instead decided to try to block the attack. He spread his legs and brought up his arms, putting as much pressure as possible on his back leg and putting his gauntlet in front of his other arm.

What a big mistake.

Tor ran up to Pro, smashing his fist into Pro's arm. The amount of power that he had built up exploded on impact. This not only launched Pro backwards with great force, but also managed to destroy his Blaze. Tor's attack had enough force that it sent Pro to the other side of the gym and smashed him through the wall. The whole class stared at the new hole in the wall, shocked at seeing such a powerful attack.

Everyone was even more shocked to see a hand come out of the hole. Pro brought himself to his feet, using the wall as a support. His school uniform was covered in dust, most likely from the debris from the wall. It was also torn a bit, also from the debris. He tried to walk towards Tor, and it was evident that he was even struggling to stand. His legs shook with every step, and his breathing was heavier than it was before.

Tor brought up his shield, preparing for a possible second attack. However, when Pro went into attacking distance, he lifted his hand and opened it. Tor, seeing that he wanted to shake hands, took his own hand and grabbed Pro's. They shook, and let go.

"I look forward… to sparring with you again," said Pro. "It seems… I still have… a few things to learn." He was struggling to get words out, his heavy breathing taking away his words.

"Same here," said Tor. After taking away his hand, he noticed that it was covered in blood. Taking a look down, he saw that Pro's left hand was bleeding. "Pro… your hand…"

Pro lifted his hands, and saw that the left hand was soaked in red. "Oh… I better…get it checked out…" he stated nonchalantly, fatigue evident in his voice. "Hey… can I ask… you a question?"

Tor, a bit disturbed by Pro's reaction, simply nodded.

Pro nodded back and asked, "Were there always three of you?" Tor was simply confused by the question, until Pro suddenly dropped to the ground. A large thud resounded around the gym. Many students were confused at what just happened, and only a few in particular ran to Pro's side.

* * *

Pro woke up to the soft light of sunset. He looked to his right, and saw a large window. He was on a bed with white sheets, and next to the bed was a table with flowers on it. Looking closer, they had a yellow center and white petals. Daisies, perhaps?

"If you're looking at the flowers, they are indeed daisies. Your friends brought them here," said a female voice from behind.

He turned around, startled by the voice. He couldn't believe who was standing next to the door. She had black hair with two long ponytails, and was wearing a black Gothic style dress. He was astounded to see none other than the Chairman standing next to him.

"Cha- Chairman," he managed to squeal out, now noticing that he was extremely thirsty. His throat was dry, and it made his voice sound raspy.

"Please, you can call me Sakuya," she said, her face not showing any emotions at all. "I hate being called 'Chairman'. It makes me seem older than what I actually am." She looked around, and walked over to the window. "It seems that you woke up just in time."

Puzzled, Pro asked, "What do you mean, 'just in time'?"

"Well, it seems like the final fight is going to begin right about now," she responded, staring out the window.

Confused even more, he tried to lift himself out of bed. That's when all of his muscles reprehended him, making him cringe and fall back down onto the bed. Looking down, it seemed like his left hand had been bandaged, as well as his entire right arm and his torso. Trying to lift them up felt like he was having a few hundred needles prick them.

"Don't try to get out of bed. You were fairly injured and the nurse said you shouldn't be able to-" she started, but stopped when he forced himself out of the bed, getting onto his feet and breathing hard. "My, my. Rebellious and persistent. A very dangerous combination indeed." She allowed a sadistic smile to appear on her face, watching him continue to walk while supporting himself on the bed.

Pro finally got around the bed, and pushed himself to walk over to the window. After reaching it, he was surprised to see a class of students outside, forming a circle with two students in the middle. Focusing a little more, he saw the teacher was none other than Prof. Bun-Bun herself.

What was his class doing? He didn't remember that they were going to fight outside.

"Confused, are we?" asked Sakuya, who had been watching him the entire time.

He simply nodded, trying to put together the puzzle laid before him.

"Well, since your little sparring match with Kokonoe managed to destroy a wall in the gym, it was deemed unsafe for further sparring matches. If another wall were to be damaged, it could all fall down. That would be bad, so I allowed the students to spar outside," she said, almost like it was trivial information. "Of course, this wouldn't normally be allowed, but since the situation was under unusual circumstances, I allowed it."

Focusing more closely on the group, it seemed like one of the students in the center had long white hair, and the student opposite had long blonde hair. "Is that, Julie and Lilith?" he asked, trying to focus more to make sure.

"If you mean Sigtuna and Bristol, then yes, those two in the center are indeed them," she answered, looking at Pro curiously. "If I remember correctly, Sigtuna is your Duo partner while Bristol is Kokonoe's partner. A very odd situation, both you and Kokonoe having female Duo partners."

He was hardly paying attention. The fight had already begun, and both sides had summoned their Blazes. Pro recognized Julie's signature dual swords that glowed purple, but he had a hard time recognizing Lilith's. It looked like some kind of rifle, and had a blue hue to it. A loud 'BANG' confirmed his thoughts. Trying to see as much as possible, it seemed like she missed due to Julie's remarkable speed. She had managed to dodge the bullet, and was now charging at Lilith.

Lilith, however, started to shoot bullet after bullet, trying to anticipate where Julie was going to dodge. Julie, on the other hand, kept faking out dodges to trick Lilith, and it seemed to be working. At least, until Lilith caught onto the pattern, and managed to hit Julie once.

Julie jumped back, holding her shoulder like she had gotten shot by a real bullet. Pro couldn't even imagine the pain, and he became worried over her. His worries were over when Prof. Bun-Bun stepped in. She said something, and both students dissolved their Blazes.

"Well, that wasn't the most exciting of fights, but they wanted to be the last," started Sakuya. "They wanted to make sure that if you woke up, you would be able to see them fight. I guess they were right."

"Why are you here?" he asked, finally paying attention.

She looked at him, flashing a small, but sadistic smile. "Cutting to the chase, are we? Very well." She walked over to the nearby chair, and Pro had to turn around too look at her. He leaned on the wall, and signaled for her to start. "Well, I came here to talk to you about your fight with Kokonoe."

"What about it?" he asked, not really sure where the conversation was going.

"Well, as you most likely know, it is impossible for a Blaze to physically harm a human being, as they are made from spiritual energy," she stated, this time actual common knowledge. "However, your hand became injured while fighting Kokonoe. From the few testaments that were given to me, it seems like you became injured while _you_ were attacking _him_."

Still not seeing where it was all going, Pro stayed silent. Seeing this as a sign to continue, Sakuya did just that.

"The truth is that there are two known ways that a Blaze could harm a human," she said, waiting for his reaction. Indeed, his head lifted itself a little. She smiled. "A Blaze can harm a person depending on the user's state of mind. The first: if the user's mind is unstable, the Blaze can become lethal. However, if this is the case, it is very difficult for the user to even summon their Blaze. Seeing as Kokonoe made his Blaze appear rather easily, this cannot be the case."

He nodded, finally figuring out what she was trying to say, but waiting for her to confirm it.

She continued, seeing the wheels turning in Pro's mind. "The second: the user has an intention to kill. This changes to Blaze to be lethal, but it still has the same form. Because of this, the only way to truly know if this is the case is to see if the user goes for any lethal attacks. However, it seems like Kokonoe has no intention to kill at all, since his Blaze is a shield, which can only represent something along the lines of 'to protect'."

She looked at him, tilting her head a little. "Since neither of these cases are true, this has been rather difficult to find the cause of your physical injuries. If you could, could you tell me how you became injured?" she asked, true curiosity in her eyes.

Pro sighed, finally understanding why the Chairman had decided to stop by. He sort of knew why he had become injured, but he wasn't completely sure. "Well, I have a theory," he started, looking at her. She motioned for him to continue, and so he did. "I believe that the cause of my injuries was from my own accord. To be more specific, I feel like my 'Soul Thief' caused them."

Sakuya looked confused, and asked, "What do you mean?"

He sighed, and said, "This school isn't the first time I've seen other Blazes. If it wasn't obvious enough, the only reason I knew about 'Soul Thief' was because I had to use my Blaze to fight outside the academy. However, I've always noticed that after using 'Soul Thief', I would feel a little more pain from any other Blaze users that attacked me." He sighed, feeling a few blows from past. "I think, that whenever I use that move, my body becomes vulnerable to any attack from a Blaze and, in this case, my attacks on any Blaze can harm me as well."

He sighed again as Sakuya started to nod. "I see. So, from what you're saying, it seems like the special ability of your Blaze is a double-edged sword. You disarm your opponent, but at the same time, you make yourself vulnerable to any other opponent." She nodded again, but said, "What I don't understand, is that you didn't take his Blaze. If that is true, the why did you take damage from attacking him?"

Pro simply shook his head, since he had been wondering the same thing. "Like I said, I've fought a few others outside the school, but I've never tried to really understand my Blaze. There are things that even I don't understand about it."

Sakuya nodded, got up and walked over to the door. She opened it, but before leaving, said, "If I were you, I would get some rest. You are not excused from your classes tomorrow, so make sure you get plenty of sleep. The nurse's office is nearby, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask her for anything." With that, she walked out the door, and left.

Pro, still standing, noticed that the Sun had fully set, and now it was getting very dark. He decided that she was right, and managed to get himself into the bed. He let sleep take over, and soon enough he was snoring his brains out.

* * *

Sakuya walked down the steel corridor, the walls having a chrome gloss to them. She took a turn into the room full of computers, and walked up to a podium with many wires connecting it to the computers. She touched it, and a small hologram of a keyboard appeared. She punched in a few keys, and another hologram appeared on front of her, one filled with many files. She moved things around until she got to the file she was looking for. She opened it, and started to use the keyboard to type into the file, adding long lines of text into it. After finishing, she closed the file, and looked one more time at the name. Two words made up the file's name.

"Prototype Pluto"

* * *

 **And that, my friends, is Chapter three.**

 **Again, I'm sorry about this taking so long, but I'm the kind of person that becomes very depressed when something they work on so hard gets destroyed so easily.**

 **In case you're wondering why I say 'Lukifer' instead of 'Lucifer', I feel like the 'k' sound is more emphasized, so that's why. That, and English tends to mess up translations.**

 **Now then, for the uploading speed. I'm going to try to upload at my own pace, which I am** **going to try** **to keep at once a week, but, I may miss a chapter due to things in life.**

 **As for a picture for the FanFic, I got one of my friends to start working on one. She is a very good artist, and I feel like she will do a good job. The problem is, she can be very slow when it comes to drawings, but I am a very patient person. Can't say the same for you guys.**

 **This is SlayerOfShadowsAndDragons, signing off.**

* * *

 **Whoops. almost forgot.**

 **This is an edit after I published the chapter. I forgot to thank anyone who had followed or favorited me. Well, here we go.**

 **Dragon God xxx**

 **Logan96**

 **LokiTheAmazingRainbowMischief**

 **NaruhinaloverUA**

 **RTNknight**

 **ScorpioVenom**

 **ThaviduZeroX**

 **Theblazeingtiger**

 **ab10599**

 **blueeyedragon2223**

 **itsMARWIE**

 **owenbus4**

 **Those were all the followers, and a few people favorited but didn't follow, so here we go.**

 **AkumeESPer**

 **Forte De Tu**

 **Master of Red Windex**

 **I'd like to thank you all for your support, and I would like to apologize for my absence once again.**

 **Please no flames. Flames are scary *cry***


End file.
